Combination- thread-stand



J. MAITLAND.

COMBINATION THREAD STAND. APPLICATION FILED JULY5, 1919.

1,324,839. Patented Dec. 16,'1919.

a P 31 .20- fl, v 5

/-9 E a O a JOHN MAITLAND, F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINATION THREAD-STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed 'J'uly'5, 1918. Serial No. 243,264. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MAITLAND, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Comblnatlon Thread-Stands, of which the following is a specification. 3-.

This invention relates to holders for thread adapted to be used in connection with sewing machines, particularly in factorles, so as to mount in convenient position for making renewal, and also conveniently close to the sewing machine, the thread which isused by the machine. Thread is furnished for the use of establishments manufacturing stitched goods, on large spools holding several thousands of yards, and also on tubes. It is the object of my invention to provide a stand or holder capable of being mounted in the necessary association with a sewing machine, and having beams for holdlng thread containers of the different kinds indicated, that is spools and tubes. It is also my object to make the stand convertible so that the same supporting or holding part may be rendered capable of mounting either a spool or a tube of thread. A further object is to provide in connection with a stand such as above outlined, an attachment applicable to the stand and constructed and designed to hold spools of the common domestic sizes. With these objects in vlew the invention consists in the embodiments of means capable of accomplishing such objects illustrated in detail in the following speclfication, and in modifications and equivalents of the same coming within the scope of the appended claims. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a thread stand embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the detachable means, forming part of the entire combination, which is particularly intended and adapted for mounting a tube holding an accumulation of thread. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2, of said detachable means. Fig. 4 is an elevation partly broken away and shown in sect on of the combined thread stand with the sald detachable means applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the attachment designed to mount a spool of the domestic or small sizes, Fig. 6 is a cross section of the latter attachment taken one line'66 of Fig. 5.

The same reference characters designate the same parts in all the figures wherever they appear.

In the drawings 10 represents a base or foot which is provided with'holes 11 for the attachment of screws or nails whereby it may be secured upon a bench or any other suitable bed. .Said base has a socket 12 in which is fitted the lower end of an upright post 13, the latter being secured in the socket by a set screw 14. On the post is mounted adjustably a spool holder 14 which fits slidingly upon said post andis adjustable vertically thereon, and carries a set screw 15 by which it may be secured in any adjustment. The part above called a spool holder is pro vided with a plate-like portion 16 of sub stantially circular outline, or preferably with two such portions,- as shown in Fig. l. I do not, however, limit thenumber of such platelike portions to two, but may provide three or more if desired. In the center of the plate is an upstanding stud 17 which is adapted to enter the bore of a spool and is preferably of prismaticshape so as to provide edges which will indent the spool and so prevent it from turning. This entire spool holder, including the part which slides on thepost, the plate or plates 16, the stud 17, and lugs 18 on the outer sides of the plates, is conveniently and preferably made of cast iron, although I may make it'of any other material by casting or forging, or otherwise.

The lugs 18 have apertures whichreceive the ends of a guide 19 which is in the form of an inverted U andthe legs of which are substantially parallel to the post 13, and the cross member connecting the legs passes over the spools and is formed with eyes 20, 21 through which thread may pass. The ends of said guide, which enter the lugs '18, are

secured therein by set screws 22.

The means for holding a tube which carries an accumulation ofthread consists of a disk 23 which has a central aperture-24 adapted to be placed over the stud 17 the disk then resting on the plate 16. Two pins 25 rise from the disk, in which they are rigidly secured at their lower ends. These pins are longenough to be somewhat re silient, and the distance between their'outer sides is slightly greater than the internal diameterrof the tubes on which thread is wound. Being springy, their free ends may be sprung toward one another far enough to enter one end of the thread tube, whereby the latter may be placed ov r the pins, and when forced down to the disk, held firmly thereon. The diameter or" the disk is enough larger than the mass of thread wound upon the tube, as furnished commercially, to arrest any turns of the thread which might become loosened and drop from the thre d mass; and in order to prevent any such loose windings from being drawn under the thread mass and becoming caught so that the thread will not draw away, I provide a washer 26 of a soft compressible material, such as soft felt, which is laid on the upper surface of the disk and against which the bottom end of the thread mass rests, such washer being compressed by the mass to the extent that it obstructs entrance of the loosened thread windings between the thread mass and the disk.

By means of the detachable disk 23, the stand may be converted into either a holder for a spool, or a holder for a tube wound with thread. When the disk is removed. the spool may be placed over the stud 17 and rest on the plate 16; but when the disk is placed on plate 16 with its central aperture receiving the stud 17, the holder is then fitted to hold a thread tube. The pins 25 are then in place adapted to] enter the tube and to hold the same. It should be remembered that in the ordinary commercial practice, the tubes used for winding thread are of paper stock similar to coarse pasteboard, and that the thread is wound thereon in the so-called Universal 6r Lesson wind, which gives the thread mass approximately the form of a cylinder having bulging ends.

If desired the thread stand having the double or multiple holder may be equipped as to one part of the holder with the detachable tube-holding device, and as to the other part without such device, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the same stand is prepared for holding both a spool and a tube of thread.

In addition the stand is equipped with means for mounting small spools of thread, such as those of the common sizes furnished for domestic use, the latter comprising a disk 27 on which one of the heads of a spool may rest, and having a central stud 28 rising from its upper surface, and prongs 29 depending from its under surface. The diameter of the disk is not only preferably larger than the head of the spool which it is designed to support, but is also greater than the diameter of the thread tube 30 carrying the thread mass 31, previously described; while the prongs 29 are spaced so as to enter and fit freely within the end of the thread tube, whereby to center the disk 27 with respect thereto and retain it in position. The manner in which the last described spool-supporting disk is mounted upon the thread tube is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, the spool being shown thereon and designated 32.

Thus is provided a combination stand by which thread supplied either on large spools or small spools and in large masses on tubes may be furnished to a sewing machine. As explaining the advantage of this fact it may be noted that in commerce black threads are commonly furnished in 12,000 yard masses on large spools and on tubes, while bright colored threads are usually supplied to the trade in lengths of 500 to 1,200 yards on relatively'small spools. The provision of the large disk 23 with the pins 25, such disk being detachable, allows the stand to be adapted readily for either large spools or tubes, while the holder 27 adapts the small spools to be mounted in connection with a thread tube. Thread may be drawn from the tube without requiring the spool to be ren'ioved, the end leading from the spool being then cut or broken so as to avoid being tangled with the thread from the tube.

It is within my contemplation also to provide a spool holder like the holder 27, but having instead of the prongs 29 spaced exactly as previously described, a pair or set or pro; otherwise spaced, or a single stud operly proportioned and formed, so that the holder may be mounted on a large spool or the sort already herein described as being mounted directly upon the plate 16. When designed for this particular mode of use the de ending stud or prongs of the last desci Jed equivalent of the holder 27 may conveniently be made like the stud 17, although this is not obligatory. The stud holder 27 or the equivalent thereof, may also be provided with a pair of fingers similar to fingers 25, but s Jaced and proportioned to mount a tube of smaller size than the tube 30, and constructed with provisions for mounting either upon a tube 30 or upon a spool of the large type.

By means of the invention hercinbetore described I have provided a stand which may aptly be called a universal thread stand because it is equipped with means for mounting thread containers of substantially all the difierent kinds put out commercially. Different qualities and sizes of threads are furnished by the thread makers upon these different kinds and sizes of containers, wherefore the particular utility or the invention resides in the fact that it makes the one stand operative to mount threads of all different characteristics. As already intimated she essential parts of the stand are capable of. indefinite duplication and expansion, and thereby I am able to provide a stand adapted ing machine, and thus to supply thread 7 either of the same characteristics to all such needles or of diflerent characteristics to any desired particular needles ofthe machine.

In this specification and the following claims, the term thread container is used generically to include either a spool or a tube, or in fact anything on which thread may be wound in a mass for sale and use. The

term disk herein appropriated to describe the parts 23 and 27 is intended to include not only disks of the specific forms shown, but all elements equivalent thereto in structure and function, whether the same are circular disks or not. By this I mean that said term is used herein and in the following claims wit-l1 generic significance to include all forms and constructions of device equivalent to the members 28 and 27,

whether similar or dissimilar in superficial form and appearance to these members.

What I clalm and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A thread stand comprising in combination a support adapted to hold a thread container, and an additional support adapted to be mounted upon such container and to hold a container of difi'erent size.

2. A thread stand comprising essentially a holder having means for supporting and engaging a thread container of one character, 7

and a detachable holder adapted to be mounted upon said supporting means and having provision for holding a thread container of different character.

3. The combination in a thread stand of a support having separated rising pins, a thread tube holding a mass of thread detachably mounted upon said support and engaged internally with said pins, a spool holder resting on the upper end of the thread tube, and a spool mounted'upon said spool holder.

et. The combination with a thread stand of a support having retaining means adapted to enter and hold a thread container, a thread container mounted on said support engaged with said retaining means, and an additional thread holder mounted upon said container.

5. A thread stand comprising an upright,

a support mounted on said upright having a portion formed to support a spool of thread, and provided with a stud adapted to enter the bore of such spooland retain the same on said support and in combination therewith a holder resting upon said support, having an aperture through which said stud passes, and equipped with pins adapted to enter a'thread-holdin'g tube.

6. A thread stand comprising an upright, a support mounted on said upright having a portion formed to support a spool of thread, and provided with a stud adapted to enter the bore of such spool and retainthe same on said support and'in combination therewith a holder resting upon said support,

havingan aperture through which said stud passes, and equipped withpins adapted to enter a thread-holding tube, said pins being spaced apart at a distance such that they press outwardly against the interior of said 7 tubes, and being resilient whereby their ends may be sprung sufiiciently to enter the end of the tube.

7 A thread holding attachment for a thread stand comprising a disk having a central aperture adapted to be mounted removably upon the thread-supporting element of such a stand, and pins rising side by side from said disk adapted to enter a tube carrying a thread mass.

8. A thread holder comprising a base having a rising stud, a thread tube holder comprising a disk adapted to rest on said base and having an opening to receive said stud, and including also separated pins adapted to enter and to hold a thread tube, and a secondary spool holder comprising a disk adapted to rest on the upper end of such a thread tube and provided with downwardly projecting centering prongs adapted to enter the tube and a rising stud adapted to enter the bore of a spool.

In testimony whereof I havev aflixed my signature.

JOHN 'MAITLAND. 7 

